Thill-coupling



l I UNiTED HHSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. BUFF, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

"Tl-ilLL-COUPUNG.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,017, datedNovember 21,1893. 7

Application filed July 22, 1893. Serial No. 481,202. (No model.)

To a whom it mag/concern: J Be it known that I, FRANK J. BUFF, ofMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Thin-Couplings, of which thefollowing is a description, reference beinghad to the accompanyingdrawings, which are a partof this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in thill-couplings, moreespecially of a form known as anti-ratt1ers.

In the class of thill couplings in which forward-extending arms areprovided having inward-extending lugs at their front ends to receive theeye of the thill, it is important that oneof said forward-extending armsshould be made laterally adj ustable,'so as to provide for the readyinsertion of the thill eye, and the accurate and even reception thereinof the lugs. It is, therefore, the object of my invention to embody thisfeature in a simple and improved structure; and with this end in viewtheinvention consists of the devices and parts as hereinafter described andclaimed, or their equivalents.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a vertical sectional view on the line 1-1of Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3, is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, isa'perspective View of the adjustable arm, and Fig. 5, isa detailperspective view of one of the bushings inserted between the end of thethilleye and the arm. Like numeralsof reference denote like partsthroughout the several views.

- Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a clip adapted tobe secured to the fore-axle of the vehicle. The forward leg of this clipis provided with a lateral extension 2, from which, in turn, extendsforward an integral arm .3, provided at its forward end.

with an inward-extending conical or tapering bearing lu'g 4. A bolt-hole5 passes through this arm and through the lug. The rear side of theforward leg of the clip is provided with a recess 6, having an inwardtapering bottom, and inward tapering sides, as clearly shown in Figs. 2and 3. V

The numeral 7 indicates a removable and adjustable arm, said arm havingat its rear end an inward-extending integral lug 8, adapted to be fittedinto the recess 6, and having its inner side face, and its edges,tapering or beveled to correspond to the tapersor bevels of the. bottomand bordering edges of the recess. The inward-extending lug is somewhatless in width than the arm of which it forms a part, whereby twoshoulders 9, 9 are formed,

adapted, when the log is in place, to bear 'permit of the readyinsertion and removal of the lug, inasmuch as when being inserted orremoved the narrowest portion of the lug, both horizontally andvertically, is registering withthe widest portion of the recess. Theforward end of arm 7 is provided with an inward-extending conical ortapering bearing lug 10, similar in all respects to the lug 4, said lug10, and the arm 7 at this point being provided with a bolt-hole 11.

The numeral 12 indicates a thill, the thilleye 13 of which is in theform of a double tapering socket, that is, the tapers being fromopposite sides inward to a medial or central point. These inwardtapering portions of the thill-eye are lined with bushings 14, 14, ofany suitable material, such as leather, rubber, or anti-friction metal.

In properly adjusting the device, one side of the thill-eye is passedover the tapering lug 4, and the rear inward-extending lug 8 of arm 7inserted in its recess 6, the conical or tapering lug 10 ofv saidarmbeing passed into the opposite side of the thill-eye. After this a bolt15 is passed through the registering apertures of the arm, and held inplace securely by means of the end nuts 16, 16. The relative position ofthe parts as just described is shown clearly in Fig. 2.

In the form of construction herein shown and described, it will be seenthat all strain directly on the connecting bolt is provided against, asthe draft or pull of the thill is exerted against the conical lugswhereby wear on the bolt, and consequent rattlingof the parts, isprevented. Z a The bushings 14, 14 inserted in the thilleye, of courselessen friction between said thill-eye and the conical lugs, and to agreat extent prevent wear between these parts. Any slight wear that mayoccur, however, oan be greatest strain is liable to occur, however, is

between the inner sides of the arms 3 and 7 and the ends ofthe=thil-l=-eye .11; order to take up this wear, allthat is necessary issimply to insert washers 17 between the parts referred to, as shownclearly in Fig!- 2"; one of" said washers being shown in the detail ViewFig. 5. These Washers can be readily placed in position by-reason of"the'provisien-of the removable arm 7. pd J I It will be seen that Iprovide a thill cou-pling in which not only simplicity cheapness andgeneral efficiency enter'asimportantfactors, but furthermore aconstruction Where. in the liability of rattling is reduced, to the, minmum.

Having thusdescribed my invention, What, I claim,and desire to secure byLetters Patent of theUnitedStates, is-

1. In a'thill coupling, the combination, of an axle clip havingtherea'jr side of its fore leg adjacent to the axle provided with a re;cess, and having anint'egral' arm] projecting forward from the frontfaceof the fore leg, said arnrhavinggan inward-projectingconical lug, anarmprovided at its rear endj with a lug adapted to fit in the recess ofthe foreleg, j of the clip, and to abutagainst the axleg.andf z:

provided at its forward end with an, inwardextendizfigg'coiri'eal, lug;-a th illglg this eye thereof beingof doubleconical form' to receive thelugs, and a bolt passing through the arms andthrough said lugs,substantially as set forth.

2C In :a thi l l' coupling; the combination, of an axle'clip having therear side of its fore leg adjacent to the axle provided with arecess,'said-' recess provided with an inward-tapering bottom andinward-tapering sides, the clipalsohaving an integral arm projecting'for'ward from'the front face of its fore leg, asaid armhaving aninward-projecting lug, an arm provided at its rear with an inward- 3extending lug, fitting the, recess of; the; fore leg of theclip. and;abutting against theraxle, ithe edgesand inner-face, of said lug,tapered f or beveled. toiregister with the corresponding bevels ofthtelltecesszand. saidarm. also pr-oivided atits forward end with aninward-exv-- tending lug,a,th ill,, the eye thereof adapted to receivethe inward-extending lugs at the forward ends of the arms, anda boltpassing through thearmsandforward lugs thereof,

substantially as set forth. I In testimony whereof I affix-my signaturein presencelof two witnesses. v I

FRANK J, BUFF. Witnesses:

AR HUR, L. MORsELL,

C.VT.I. BENEDIOT.

